1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is in the field of coin dispensing apparatus where coins are dispensed from a storage container through a coin passageway with an exit aperture, and more particularly to a compact mounting assembly that can mount both a pivoting lever that extends within the coin exit aperture and a sensor unit which can be adjusted transverse to a longitudinal axis of the passageway to accommodate different size coins.
2. Background of the Invention
Various forms of devices utilize coin handling and pay-out apparatus, such as slot machines, gaming devices, and money change apparatus. Coins, medallions, or tokens are usually dispensed from a storage container by a selector mechanism through a coin passageway to a coin exit aperture. The coin passageway can be elevated relative to the storage container or coin hopper so that the coins are pushed up in a single edge-to-edge file or stack through the passageway. Various devices have been provided to provide security without jamming the dispensing of the coins from the exit aperture.
Referring to FIG. 5, a coin hopper or bowl 1 can store loose coins in bulk. A coin selector device, such as a rotating disk 2, can selectively pick up coins from the coin hopper to direct them towards an escalator 10. Individual coins can be stopped at a protrusion 2a which is located adjacent to the rotating disk at the entrance to the escalator 10. The protrusion 2a can direct the coin to contact a return prevention roller 5 which governs the entrance outlet to the escalator 10. The return prevention roller 5 is installed at the tip or edge of a rotating lever 7 that rotates about a fixed shaft 6. While not illustrated in FIG. 5, a spring can provide a biasing force to rotate the lever 7 in a counter-clockwise direction. The escalator 10 extends upward from the outlet 4. The escalator 10 can be formed from an elongated base member 11, spacers 12A and 12B, and maintenance boards 13A and 13B. The dimensions of the spacers 12A and 12B are slightly thicker than the thickness of the coin to be guided along the escalator 10. Additionally, the spacers 12A and 12B are spaced outwardly, from a longitudinal axis of the passageway, to be slightly larger than the diameter of the coin to form a coin passageway or guide for a series of stacked coins as they are progressively passed upward along the escalator 10. The maintenance boards 13A and 13B can be held by appropriate fasteners, such as screws, to the sides of the base 11 with the spacers 12A and 12B installed on the base 11. The resultant configuration provides a cross-sectional rectangular guide path for coins of a predetermined diameter and thickness.
Mounted adjacent the exit aperture of the coin passageway is a dispensing unit fixed to the maintenance boards 13A and 13B of a type of structure, for example, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,943,258. An upper end portion of the guide passageway 15, shown in FIG. 7, can have a curved surface 21G formed in a guide piece 21. A lower curved upper end portion 12AU of a spacer 12A can complete the formation of the exit aperture. Thus, the upper end division of the guide passageway 15 will curve in a leftward direction, as shown in FIG. 7.
Referring to FIG. 6, a coin sensor 20 is provided with a pivoting lever 23 that rotates about a shaft 26, while supporting a control roller 22 at its tip. The control roller 22 rotates about a shaft 24 at the end of the lever 23. The shaft 26 can be mounted on a bracket 25 which, in turn, is fixed to the base 11. The control roller 22 is located at the exit of the respective curved planes of the spacers 12A and guide piece 21. A sensor unit 27 can output a detection signal upon detection of an edge 23B of the lever 23 when it is moved within a detection groove 27A. The lever 23 can receive a biasing force by a spring 28. The dispenser assembly 29 has a structure composed of the control roller 22, the lever 23, and the biasing spring 28. A stopper 30 protruding from the bracket 25 can stop the rotation of the lever 23.
As can be seen, the control roller 22 at the end of the lever 23 protrudes into the exit of the guide passageway 15 when a coin is not in contact with the control roller 22. At this time, the detection edge 23B of the lever 23 is displaced from the detection groove 27A.
Referring to FIGS. 5, 6, and 7, the protrusion 2A on the rotating disk 2 in the storage hopper will selectively push coins 3 towards the exit 4. The return prevention roller 5 is pushed up to permit a coin 3 to pass into the coin passageway. As additional coins 3 are inserted into the passageway, the lowest coin of the coin passageway will push the upper coins upward in the guide passageway 15. Eventually, the highest coin 3U, shown in FIG. 7, will be ejected from the guide passageway 15. As it is being ejected, it will contact the control roller 22 and force the lever 23 to rotate in a clockwise direction, as shown in FIG. 7.
The detection edge 23B will be moved within the detection groove 27A and thereby cause the sensor 27 to output a detection signal representative of the presence of a coin. The lever 23 is biased by spring force of the spring 28 in a counter-clockwise direction so that the control roller 23 will rotate across the periphery of the coin 3U. Meanwhile, at the storage hopper, the return prevention roller 5 will stop the return of any coins in the guide passage 15.
As can be appreciated, it is desirable for the coins to be loaded within the guide passageway 15 so that they are immediately available for discharge, but it is also important that the detection signal not be activated until the coin actually is in the process of being ejected. As can be appreciated, the positional relationship between the highest coin 3U and the control roller 22 will depend on the path length from the return prevention roller 5 to the control roller 22 and the diameter of the coin 3. If the diameter of the coins is relatively large, they could cause the control roller 22 to stop in a contact condition that will activate a sensor output. Thus, an adjustment to accommodate different size coins is necessary in such a coin dispenser.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,876,275 represent a proposed solution to this adjustment problem. The coin sensor 20 is mounted for longitudinal adjustment relative to the position of the escalator 10. Accordingly, the positional relationship between the highest coin 3U and the control roller 22 can be adjusted by adjusting the length of the guide passage 15. The housing which surrounds the escalator must have sufficient vertical adjustment space to permit a height correction to provide this adjustment.
Other examples of the prior art structure can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,518,001 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,592,377.
The requirement of a compact configurations with adjustments to accommodate different size coins still remains an issue in the prior art.
The present invention seeks to ensure an accurate output from a sensor unit in detecting the condition of a coin discharge without changing the vertical length of the escalator or coin passageway.
To achieve this structure, the present invention provides a storage container for storing coins and an escalator or coin passageway extending along a longitudinal axis upward from the storage container to an exit aperture. A coin selector can be mounted within the storage container and send a coin into the coin passageway wherein a series of stacked coins can be advanced for discharge through the exit aperture. A dispenser unit can be located in the exit of the coin passageway and can include a lever pivotedly mounted for contacting the coin as it exits the exit aperture and a sensor unit for counting the coins. A mounting assembly can mount the lever and the sensor unit adjacent the exit aperture for adjustment transverse to the longitudinal axis of the coin passageway to accommodate different size coins without increasing the overall height of the combined dispenser unit and coin passageway. The mounting assembly can include a base member for movably mounting the dispenser unit to permit an adjustment transverse to the longitudinal axis of the passageway and a fastener member for releasably securing the base member to the coin passageway.
Such an arrangement does not change the overall length of the coin passageway or guide passage but permits a change in the relative position between the coin control roller on the lever and the specific size of the coins. Thus, this installation alignment permits a lateral adjustment of the control roller in configurations wherein it is not possible to provide space to permit an adjustment in a vertical height direction. This ensures that appropriate detection signals are not generated while accommodating different size coins. The dispenser unit can further comprise a lever with a rotatable roller installed at its tip and a shaft that can permit free rotation of the lever. A spring can be used to bias the lever into the coin passageway while a sensor unit can detect the relative movement of the lever to provide a coin detection signal. A base member can support both the shaft, lever, spring, and sensor unit with elongated holes to permit a lateral transverse adjustment to the longitudinal axis of the guide passage. Accordingly, an adjustment is easy, because it is possible for a readjustment of both the lever and the sensor unit without increasing the overall combined height or vertical length of the escalator or coin passageway.